Together We Unite
by KrystalizedKiss
Summary: Ch 4 update: After meeting Mytho's Shugo Chara, Amu and Ikuto go with the PT crew for a little bit of shopping for the dance later. Afterward, they encounter trouble… but… what is this new trouble that our gang is facing? R&R. Hiatus.
1. Transported

All right, this is my first attempt at Princess Tutu and I hope that this doesn't end in failure. I actually have a sort of idea with how this story should or should not go. I guess you can say that this is like testing out the waters.

As well as my first attempt at doing a crossover, with Shugo Chara no doubt. D: Well, here goes nothing! _ Oh and, Princess Tutu is from the anime and Shugo Chara is from the manga, more or less around after Ikuto had decided to do what he wanted to do, but make it two years later. Critiques are welcome! And oh, no one beta read this so um yeah...

I got the idea of how Ahiru speaks to the others from Moon Shadow Magic, so credit goes to her.

Summary: The battle with the Raven has been over for two years. Our friends are then transported to modern day… JAPAN?! And in front of Seiyo Elementary?!

Disclaimer: Princess Tutu and Shugo Chara and all related characters and elements are the property, copyright and trademark of HAL– GANSIS/TUTU and Ikukoh Itoh and Peach Pit and no ownership or claim on said property, copyright or trademark is made or implied by their use in the work(s) of fan fiction presented here. This fan fiction constitutes a personal comment on the aforesaid properties pursuant to doctrines of fair use and fair comment. This fan fiction is non-commercial, not for sale or profit, and may not be sold or reproduced for commercial purposes.

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Akt 1. Transported

_Once upon a time, there was once a peaceful road that led into a small town._

_That is, until people began to disappear. It wasn't serious at first, until more and more people began to disappear more and more frequently. The people who disappeared eventually came back, except… a small collect few that almost seemed to not return back home…_

_And what they found was enemies… or did they?_

_

* * *

_

It was crippling.

To find that one's inkwell was empty of ink.

The black haired male sighed as he ran his fingers through his hair. A ruffle of snow white feathers sat on the bed of the bedroom, the animal was sleeping under her wing until she peeked open a blue orb to peer at the male who sighed.

"Qua…?"

The male looked over at the now almost fully grown swan. "I can't write today, I'll have to go out shopping for writing supplies," he replied at the questioningly glance from the bird. "Ah, don't worry; you can come with… if you want to." He raised an eye-brow in question, as if wondering what it would look like to many passerby's to see a waddling nearly full grown bird walking beside him. It was one thing to carry her when she was still a white duckling, but she was now no longer that small.

Fakir crossed his arms across his chest, as if trying to decipher what to do. It was surprising that Ahiru had not lost any of her memories, and that she still had the ability to understand him. She even could still read and write, much to Fakir's astonishment. He really had not been accounting for that to stick around, being as she was a bird and all…

Mytho and Rue often managed to come around after six months when they left. They had married and come back to Goldkrone to attend the Academy to graduate from learning how to dance. They also would occasionally come around to visit Ahiru in her pond, admiring how she looked. Fakir had noted that there had been a brief period where she had started to molt, where she had completely evaded Fakir's calls to her when he had come out to the pond. Thankfully, Rue had been there and helped him and Mytho out from worrying sick about where Ahiru had gone… or could have gone. When they had first come back, however, they were completely shocked to find that Ahiru was still able to understand their words. They were even more astounded to discover that she was still able to read and write… although, it is a bit unclear as to if she could write or not. It was rather difficult to write with wings.

Charon knocked on the door, surprising Fakir from his thoughts as he turned to look at him. He had gotten older looking now; after all, two years had passed. Charon leaned against the door frame, his arms across his chest as Fakir's came to rest at his side, looking in surprise at his adoptive father.

"When are you going to get married?" Charon said, a smile beginning to grace his features as if in anticipation for Fakir's reaction.

But not this time; Fakir was far too old for that now. After all, he was 19.

"I don't know, Charon," Fakir said with a scowl, and not with embarrassment, as Charon had hoped. His arms crossed his chest as his scowl lessened a bit. Fakir had already graduated from the Academy, having transferring into the Writing department, with the occasional dancing practices with Mytho and Rue. He would have stopped dancing altogether, but Ahiru, Mytho, and Rue had persisted that he should continue… although Ahiru was the most persistant.

"Ah, well, an old man can wish, can't he?" Charon laughed heartily, before nodding his head at Ahiru in greeting and then turned to leave. He waved his hand as someone seemed to be coming up the steps, "Mytho is here, by the way." And then he left.

On cue, a male popped in with silvery-white short hair and burning amber eyes that clearly displayed the strength of a prince. His eyes looked around and spotted Ahiru. "Ah, there you are, Ahiru, Rue was looking for you," he said, his voice seemed slightly deeper. He had grown over the two years (just when one thought he wouldn't), his form now seemingly more fit to be that of a young king than a prince. Fakir noted this for the first time as Mytho stepped fully into view. "Hello, Fakir." Then he seemed to notice Fakir's attire and asked, "Going out?"

"I was about to, before Charon came up," Fakir said, wondering mildly where Rue was before his question was answered when her wine-colored hues with black hair popped in from behind Mytho.

"Going out? What for?" she asked as she came into view, walking over to sit on Fakir's bed where Ahiru rested. Rue hugged Ahiru in greeting before turning her attention onto the conversation again. She had grown more elegant with age; causing many more to admire her now than ever before. Her form had filled out even more, now that she rested at the age of 16, one year older than what Ahiru would have been had she been still human.

"I need to buy some more writing supplies; as you can see, I'm out," Fakir gestured towards his desk. There rested his empty inkwell and his supply of parchment that was no longer in a small pile nearby.

"Oh well, then we shouldn't hold you up, now should we, seeing as you want to work on having Ahiru back to being a human right?" Rue said with a smile that seemed to clearly say more than what she actually alleged.

Fakir looked away in slight embarrassment. "I-I guess." But he looked to Mytho for a moment, and was surprised to find something different on his face. His expression was serious, no longer wearing a smile that had graced his face moments before. "What's wrong, Mytho?"

"Actually, I had come here to talk to you two about something," Mytho confessed, Rue's eyes going somber as well.

"Quack? Quack quack quack quack?" Ahiru's blue orbs grew solemn and worried.

"I think she's asking what's wrong… more or less of what I just asked," Fakir said with another sigh as he decided to sit down in front of his desk on his chair. He rested his right arm on the back of the chair, his chin hidden partially by his hand.

"There have been rumors of people disappearing randomly," Rue said. "And we don't know why or how. It just started on the outskirts of Goldkrone, but now it's no longer in just Goldkrone."

"Disappearing how?" Fakir asked, a frown touching his usually gentle features.

"It's simply just that: they're disappearing, vanishing into thin air, leaving not a single trace behind. The strangest thing of all is that the people that are left behind know who has disappeared." Mytho seemed deep in thought as he expressed his words. "It's not like Ahiru where most of those in the Academy didn't remember her, but these people do remember those who disappear."

Ahiru fluttered her wings in response, becoming more anxious. Her blue eyes reflected that loud and clear.

"When did this start? And where?" Fakir asked, now sensing the trouble in Mytho's words.

"Like I said, out on the outskirts of town, and when… I think… a few weeks ago?" Mytho reflected.

"Quack quack quack quack!!"

"What?" Rue asked.

"Quack quack quack quack quack quack!!!" she persisted. Fakir sighed.

"This is the reason why I need go to get some writing supplies… once I get some, we'll be able to understand what Ahiru is saying." At that, he got up and picked up Ahiru in his arms as she rested in one arm, barely bigger than the length of his forearm.

Then they left and Rue went inside a store to pick up some of the supplies; they headed to a nearby park to begin trying to figure out what Ahiru was trying to say. Fakir spelled out the alphabet and with her wing, she pointed at the letters that began to spell out what she was trying to say:

"WE SHOULD GO AND INVESTIGATE BEFORE ANYONE ELSE DISAPPEARS"

Mytho and Fakir nodded in agreement. Rue took a moment for a thought before she brought up something else:

"What if we go and disappear too?"

The three of them turned towards her and stared for a moment before realizing the truth in her words.

However, Mytho seemed set on a course of action. "If we do, then we would know where the ones who had disappeared disappear to and we can find ourselves back while helping the others."

Rue still seemed reluctant but nodded her head in agreement. They had separated for the time being to get ready.

Fakir and Ahiru headed back home and set Ahiru down on his bed. He packed little things he would need; clothes, a map, and many miscellaneous others. He hesitated on wondering if he needed paper and his writing utensils and decided to go with it. Better to be prepared for the possible worst. At last, he pulled over his dark cloak over him and picked up Ahiru again as he left his room down to the workshop, where he found Charon.

"Charon, I'm going to be going away for awhile."

Charon looked up and then straightened. He found that Fakir had grown taller still, and was now taller than him. He noted he had gotten stronger, leaner and broader in the shoulders. Even his hands, Charon noted, had gotten bigger and rougher with work, despite constantly writing. "Well, I can't stop you from doing what you would like to do, now can I?" At that, he smiled in spite of himself. At least, this time, he knew where he would be going instead of Fakir making him worrying like crazy if he didn't come home. "Make sure you come home, all right? And when you do, bring home a wife." At that, he laughed. Fakir, this time, did stutter in embarrassment, not expecting this to come from Charon upon leaving.

"D-Don't expect it!" Then he coughed before continuing, "I'm off then… Take care of yourself." Gruffly, they hugged each other for a moment before departure and left.

When they came across the meeting place, they found Mytho and Rue ready, dressed in traveling clothes and prepared, their eyes glimmering with determination.

"Ready?" Mytho asked, glancing at Ahiru and Fakir.

Ahiru quacked and Fakir simply nodded. When they left the town by foot, they almost felt like that it was going to be their last time being in this town. But the group decided to ignore that feeling and came across the place where it was said that people disappeared.

"It's said to be somewhere around here…" Mytho examined their surroundings, noting the landmarks that the people had told them about.

Fakir walked around with Ahiru, following closely behind Mytho and Rue as they looked for anything suspicious or different or even out of place.

That is… until they found themselves falling…

"W-WHAT?! What's going on?!" Rue exclaimed as they fell into darkness.

"I-I DON'T KNOW!" Mytho managed to shout, his amber orbs looking around… looking for anything that would stop their descent before their surroundings shifted to a dark blue tinge and it felt as though they were flying.

And before they knew it, they landed, albeit roughly, on the ground. Land. Fakir opened one eye and then the other to reveal his emerald green hues. The first thing he realized was that he was on solid ground, like that of the cobblestones, but it was not. It was smooth, but rough like the bricks on buildings. Instinctively, he looked around for Ahiru and found her, to his surprise, in human form.

When her head picked up and looked around, Fakir saw that she had lost that tangle of hair that had been in the front of her head and the back, leaving behind long salmon colored hair that streamed down her back and onto the ground. Her hair covered parts of her that had seemed to fill out over the course of time and when her face turned his way, he found himself stunned with her innocent beauty that seemed to have taken over her childish features. It was still there, but she seemed more grown up but remained childish at the same time.

Before Mytho and Rue could recover from their stupor, Fakir took off his cloak and covered Ahiru.

"Fa-Fakir?!" she exclaimed. She gasped. She realized then that she had become human, causing Mytho and Rue to look quickly their way, instantly snapping them out of their daze. "I-I'm human again…"

"Ahiru…" Mytho and Rue both breathed, surprised that they saw many of Princess Tutu traits in her features and perhaps even some of her soft voice.

Ahiru looked at Fakir, who knelt before her, trying to hide the embarrassment on his face. Hastily, Ahiru pulled his cloak closer to herself. "H-How much did you see…?" she asked tentatively.

"I didn't look," he echoed, reflecting back at that time when Ahiru had first revealed herself to him.

Rue coughed to break up the "tension" that was clearly rising. "Ahiru, you're beautiful!" she stated, going close to her and hugging her. "And you're human… how?"

"I don't know…" Ahiru said softly, glancing amongst them.

"What are you guys doing?" a feminine voice said, calling their attention to the person who belonged to that voice. Protectively, Fakir pulled Ahiru close to his body as he looked.

The voice belonged to a girl, with pink hair with barrettes in the shape of x's, that stood before them. Her hair was past her shoulders, her golden eyes bewildered at the sight before her. She wore a pink-checkered shirt that eased past her shoulders with a black strap across her shoulder. She wore black shorts with a studded belt and black boots that stopped short before her knees.

That was when the group had decided to look around. They were on a road of some sort, right before a long entranceway that seemed to lead to a building. There was a blinking light nearby, much to the group's surprise, and the colors on the ground. (That would be the traffic light… haha… And they be on the sidewalk…)

Where the heck were they?

"I said, what are you guys doing?" the pink haired female repeated, sounding almost annoyed.

"We-We're not sure… where are we?" Mytho asked as he recovered first as they all stood up, dusting themselves. Ahiru found that she was the same height as the pink haired female.

"You're in front of Seiyo Elementary School," she stated, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. Suddenly, they were astounded by a little floating person… well; three to be exact, that had decided to appear at that moment.

"Amu, Amu! They don't appear to have come around here!" the pink haired one exclaimed, waving around something that was like two little fluffy pink balls.

"They're dressed completely different from everyone else," the blue haired one noted, taking out what appears to be paper with something to write with. "Well… compared everyone else here at the school."

"They look tired… should we perhaps invite them in to the Garden?" the blonde haired one said warmly.

For a moment, there was silence as the group stared at the floating people… well, miniature people. Fakir recovered first this time.

"What are these floating people, who are you, and what _time _is this?!" Fakir asked with a scowl, pulling Ahiru closer still. She felt a jolt of electricity race down her body where his own did.

The pink haired female only seemed shocked by the fact that the group could see them. As if unsure how to go about this, she stuttered in surprise as a group of people seemed to run towards her, "I-I'm Amu Hinamori… n-nice to m-meet you?"

Apparently, it was in response to Fakir's scowl, which seemed only to deepen.


	2. Shugo Charas

Author's note and disclaimer at the end.

**EDITED NOTE AT THE END. SORRY FOR THE MANY CRAPPY SUDDEN EMAILS I'M SENDING YOU SINCE YOU ARE SUBSCRIBED TO MY STORY.** -sad face- It's just that, I realized I messed up on something, thanks to Trooper-on-March. And also with notice of the final chapter of Shugo Chara, I have to edit out a few things in this chapter. Overall, this chapter is still the same, but yeah... Again, sorry for the repeated emails I'm sending you all. Forgive me. And apparently, I never noticed the "**Replace/Update Chapter with new Content" **part of the chapters section. I'm so stupid........ -cries in emo corner- I promise I won't do it again. DDDD:

Summary: Amu Hinamori meets Prince Mytho, Rue, Fakir, and Ahiru for the first time. As they explain their situation, Ikuto unexpectedly drops in. What does he have to do with the new trouble that caused the Princess Tutu cast to come to Japan?

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Akt 2. Shugo Charas

_Once upon a time, there was once a group of travelers. They traveled and traveled until they found themselves in a strange town. When they asked the townsfolk where they were, the travelers found that the people wore different clothing very much different from their own._

_When they finally realized what had happened, they had traveled so much that they had come back to a town that was no longer their home._

_But… this isn't the tale that belongs to them, now is it…?_

_

* * *

_The pink headed female walked down her street towards the Seiyo Elementary school, wanting to meet up with her old friends from elementary school to discuss something that had seemed to become a problem. Although what it was about, she wasn't very sure of it herself.

"Amu, could it have to do with the Shugo Chara eggs we felt awhile back?" the blue haired floating artist contemplated.

"Miki, that was back in the dream," the pink haired floating cheerleader reflected.

"And is it possible for all of us to have the same dream at once?" Miki counteracted. "Ran, yes, it's true, we haven't felt that presence of Shugo Chara eggs for awhile now, but it's best for us to cautious… right, Suu?"

The blonde haired floating companion with an apron turned towards them with a warm smile as she replied almost dreamily, "Yes, it's always all right to be careful…" The three had noticed that Amu had been spaced out lately. For what reason, they couldn't figure it out. After all, Amu hadn't told them what she had dreamed of last night to confirm their suspicions.

While the small three friends conversed amongst themselves, Amu's mind began to wander. Ikuto had come to her the other day, giving her a warning of some sort that something bad was afoot. He hadn't divulged much that was for sure, because she was left utterly confused and shouting after him when he ran off. When Ikuto had come to her house, Amu was shocked to find him more fully grown, masculine and stronger looking than ever before. He had even gotten taller as well. He still had that smile that made her blush, and she had been at a loss as to why she still blushes at his smiles. It was as if he knew what she was thinking and it unnerved her.

Then again, he wasn't the only one who grew up. She filled out rather nicely during the two years since Easter's defeat and she was now almost on par with Utau, Ikuto's sister. Although, she had grown an inch or so, it wasn't that much compared to the boys; she had only grown a more feminine like figure. She wanted to grow her hair out, but had decided against it, seeing that long hair would remind her of Utau and she didn't want to feel like she was competing with her friend. Even Nagihiko had long hair and he was a boy! Then again, there was Rima too…

Amu sighed until she came to a stop before the green house that had been once the Guardian's headquarters for work against the X eggs and Easter. Well, there are probably still those who did it now, in their place, but no one could replace Amu; after all, she was the first Joker that the school had.

She walked into the small garden, looking around as memories began to flood into her mind. It was spring now, and Amu was going on to Senior high school, finally, after studying so hard. As if remembering the intensive studying, Amu stretched up her arms into the air before looking around. The others hadn't arrived yet… hmm…

It was their spring break, so it gave everyone an excuse to come here to hang out again before a new year of school started.

Quietly, Amu walked over toward their table where they often had snacks on while discussing such important matters that she could not help but remember. Ran, Miki, and Suu had gone off to explore their surroundings, to see what was new, and to see what had remained unchanged.

Resting her elbows on the table as she sat down, Amu closed her eyes as she rested her chin into the palms of her hands, letting her mind again wander. Ikuto had graduated from high school and didn't need to worry about schooling anymore… well, sort of; he had gone off to find his father, but had said something about going to college soon... or something… Utau was on a tour, last Amu checked. Kukai was in the high school that she was going to attend, knowing full well that he was on the soccer team. He had grown much, much taller, and far more muscular than many girls at first had expected. Yaya was younger than them, so she remained in the middle school, waiting eagerly to join the rest of them in high school. Tadase… Amu couldn't help but smile at the memories, no longer bittersweet. He was always such a gentleman and that made him greatly popular well into middle school and then even to high school before he even got there. He had finally grown out of his feminine features and was now more manly, now trying out for sports since he had grown tremendously taller. Nagihiko… Amu opened her eyes a moment to glare for a moment at the table in front of her. For half a year before Nadeshiko was said to come back, Amu found out that Nagi had actually been Nadeshiko the entire time, just never had really told her properly until awhile back. She was embarrassed at first, then angry, and then hurt. She couldn't believe that she wasn't told and felt like she had been betrayed…

Shoving aside those dark thoughts, Rima came into mind. She was still small and petite, but she grew as well, just like everyone else did. Apparently, that made her just as popular as Tadase, with her innocent beauty challenging that of the "princely" gentleman.

Kairi had come back, too, and just as he had promised, he was a man, much to Amu's astonishment. He was already tall in fourth grade, and seemed to only grow further still as he was now in seventh grade at a height of five foot six. Tadase predicts that he might stop growing soon seeing as he seemed to have hit his growth spurt early.

Before Amu noticed, she had dozed off…

_She had a strange dream. There were several strangers that were unrecognizable to Amu. However, one's face seemed familiar to someone dear to her. His eyes, despite them being emerald, were familiar to that of the sapphire ones she had stared into awhile back. He was writing on something and a little duckling appeared before her… before red light flashed before her eyes._

Amu woke up with a start when she suddenly felt the need… to _move._ Her fingers curled around the lock that rested warmly just short of her collar bone and she ran out, causing Tadase, Kukai, and Nagi to look startled as Amu ran by.

Before they could even ask why she was running, she shouted back at them, "They're here!" Ran, Miki, and Suu immediately sensed Amu's distress and flew on after, stopping momentarily to glance at the other Shugo Charas. On the way to catching up to Amu, they noticed that Yaya, Kairi, and Rima had also been coming, but stopped on their walk to the Garden when they noticed Amu running towards the entrance of the elementary school.

She stopped before she reached all the way to the front of the entrance, for there, rested four people on the ground, dressed in clothes that were clearly not from this time period. She was startled to see a girl with salmon colored hair being covered quickly by a shockingly familiar black haired male that struck her as someone similar to Ikuto.

* * *

"So… you aren't from this time period," Tadase stated.

"Pretty much," Mytho confirmed. Fakir's scowl seemed almost etched into his face as he stood with his arms crossed behind Ahiru, who was sitting down at the table with clothes that were borrowed from Amu. Rue was sitting beside Ahiru with Mytho standing behind her with Fakir.

They were thoroughly exhausted. They had to sit through an entire lesson as to where they were, what time they were in, and what kind of technology that now lies at their hands. Ahiru's eyes threatened to droop, having to go through an entire lesson without really moving bothered her, even if she were fresh out in a new body.

Fakir only muttered something, in turn, making Ahiru turn toward him with a sharp glance.

Mytho looked toward the Guardians, "And now you know of our situation… will you be able to help us?"

The group remained stunned for the moment before they all reacted at once. The four of them was drained and the multiple voices that were speaking at once did not help them at all.

The one who shut the group up was the floating pink haired cheerleader, Ran. "BE QUIET!"

Silence followed quickly after and Kusu Kusu smothered a laugh. Miki finally sighed, "Finally, I can hear myself think…" Suu was humming away as she prepared some sweets. Pepe was lounging nearby in the air, as if dozing off to sleep. Musashi seemed to be meditating, while Rhythm and Temari were talking to each other. Daichi was also dozing off as well and Kiseki seemed self-absorbed in his thoughts.

But then, all of them at once suddenly sat up right and stared straight at the four.

"Wh-What?" Rue asked, somewhat startled by their stares.

"There's Shugo Chara…" Ran began.

"… with them…" Miki tried to continue.

"Their eggs had already hatched…" Suu realized.

"… and they're here with us…" Musashi noted.

"Four of them …" Daichi was then cut off by the Guardians.

"Eh?!" the Guardians exclaimed.

Fakir, Ahiru, Mytho, and Rue was startled by their sudden surge of energy, causing them to jump in surprise. They each had their own Shugo Charas…? How was that possible…?

As if Fakir suddenly had an idea, he spoke to them without really aiming at anyone, forgetting that their Shugo Charas were now here with them. "That would explain why Ahiru is human." Mytho and Rue snapped their gaze to Fakir and Ahiru looked uneasy as she looked up. The Guardians seemed to note the sudden sober mood.

"Explain." Rue looked worried and almost frightful for Ahiru, as her fingers reached for comfort of the other female.

"Wait a minute, what do you mean by 'why Ahiru is human?' She wasn't anything else before… was she?" Kukai asked.

"That's just not possible for a human to have been changed into anything else other than human," Kairi said as he pushed up his glasses, causing a glare to run across the glass for a moment.

"But you believe in Shugo Charas, right? 'Your would-be selves', as you had called them?" Fakir pointed out.

Their gaze was shot down but they looked back up as Fakir continued to explain.

"Let's see, if what they say is true, then this is something similar to the story Drosselmeyer has written for us," Fakir began, his thoughts forming quickly as he began to pace. "We each had a role in the story that would make us not what we actually are. Ahiru to be Tutu when she was only a duckling at the time, Rue being Princess Kraehe when she was simply Rue, the human. Mytho, to be that of a continuous cycle of you shattering your heart over and over again to seal the Raven, to almost never be completely whole with all of your heart; when in actuality, you are a Prince." For a moment, two pairs of hands covered Tadase's ears just before the word "prince" was said. "And myself… the role of a useless knight which I never could fulfill… when I was actually someone who was just constantly protected. But those all had the truth as to who we were… our would-be selves…"

"So… you're saying that… who we actually are and our real selves are Shugo Charas here?" Rue seemed to begin to put the pieces together. Ahiru seemed to have just done that as well; it looked like she was no longer the slow person that she may have led them to believe two years ago.

"That makes sense," she agreed. Again, her fingers touched her face, as if she couldn't believe that she was actually human. She felt Fakir's fingers coming to rest on her shoulder, as if to reassure her that she was still here. But she could sense that in his grip, that there was something more to the grip then what he let on as well.

Mytho looked thoughtful. "Then… I wonder what our would-be selves would look like." An amused smile seemed to linger on his features as he thought the possibilities of a princely-like character, like the one Mytho had been introduced to earlier; Kiseki, was what his name was.

Rue hid her worry underneath a smile. She was apprehensive. What would her would-be self look like? She knew that Princess Kraehe was a part of herself, and she didn't deny that… but what she was afraid of was what if her would-be self would look like Princess Kraehe? Would that mean the Raven would come here too…?

Mytho sensed her uneasiness. He glanced at her for a moment before turning his attention back to the Guardians, putting it in his mind later to talk to her about it later. Before he could speak, however, two of them had spoken up.

"We have to go," Kukai and Kairi said in unison. They glanced at each other for a moment before sighing.

"Why?" Yaya whined childishly, clinging for dear life on Kukai's arm.

"And you barely had eaten anything…" Suu said in a troubled voice.

"Ah… it's fine… I'm sure I can grab something on the way back," Kukai answered, glancing at Kairi who sighed in return. They both knew where they were going. "And besides, Kairi has to go to… we're both heading the same way."

"You still haven't answered why…" Yaya pouted as Kukai patted her head.

"Yaya… I'm sure Kukai and Kairi both have their reasons for having to leave now… I mean, everything now had been so… much… what with all that information…" Amu said, glancing at her senior and the male who had confessed two years ago. "We'll get to see you more often, right?"

"Of course," Kukai and Kairi said again in unison. However, Kairi noticed the time on his watch and winced. "We must go _now_, or we'll be late."

They quickly left, grabbing some of the delicious food that Suu had made as second round snacks and refreshments for their discussion. "Ah, I should be going as well!" Nagi exclaimed, quickly grabbing his things before waving good bye to everyone and then leaving the Garden, with Rhythm and Temari waving and flying on after Nagihiko. Kusukusu seemed to have whispered something in Rima's ear and caused Rima to glare in response. "I need to go too, sorry," Rima excused herself with Kusukusu following closely behind. She paused a moment before Amu and said, "Sorry that today wasn't what you had in mind."

"Ah, don't worry about that!" she said, watching Rima leave. That left Amu, Tadase, and Yaya and their Shugo Charas.

But before they could even begin continuing their conversation, a voice was heard from nearby, "Ah, so this is where I find you all to be hiding."

A figure appeared at the entrance, waving his greeting. "Hello everyone," he greeted with a lazy grin. When he reached where everyone were, he noticed the strangers. He stood up right and found himself eye level to the black haired male.

"Ikuto...?" Amu spoke softly, unsure.

After a moment of what seems to be a suffocating long silence, the dark blue haired male spoke slowly, "The four of you are from Germany…" They blinked. "I hadn't expected you would come so soon…"

"What do you mean? How did you know where we came from?" Mytho seemed perplexed. Was this man expecting them? Better yet, how did they all communicate so well despite the obvious differences in tongue and nationalities? Why were they transported here to the future of a place they did not know of? Soon, many similar questions began to fill the four's minds.

"Ikuto? You know what's going on and how they came to be here?" Amu asked slowly. It's been awhile since she's seen him… as of the late; he seemed to have disappeared quite suddenly and without notice. Even Tadase doesn't know what was going on as Ikuto had moved in temporarily to live with Hotori's for some kind of mission that Ikuto had seemed to have been given…

"Ikuto-nii-san?" Tadase asked, as confusion seemed to be threatening to break into his voice.

"So little time, so much to explain," Ikuto said softly, his lazy and playful expression gone. It was as if he didn't hear Amu and Tadase as he answered Mytho's question: "Let's just say you were summoned here… and I know of your tale that had dealt with Drosselmeyer…"

Ahiru gasped sharply. Fakir glared and Mytho only frowned while Rue had a passive expression at the slender male. Before Amu and Tadase, or even Yaya, could interrupt what Ikuto was saying, he continued, turning toward all of them, "Something bad is beginning to happen here, and they're here to help us put a stop to it… That's all I can say, for the moment.

"Until the time is right…" he said softly, deciding then, it was best to take his leave. "Bye everyone."

"Do you think Ikuto is…" Amu began, only to have Tadase finish it.

"…that he's going it alone again?" Tadase glanced at Amu before Fakir coughed.

"I guess it's time for us to leave." Sighing, he picked up Ahiru's hand and roughly grabbed Mytho's back collar. "It's time to go. We're going to go find somewhere to crash for awhile, until we collect ourselves and get used to this place before we plan anything else." Mytho pulled himself out of Fakir's grip, ignoring his stern look before glancing back at Amu, Tadase, and Yaya.

"It was a pleasure to meet you all," Mytho said as Fakir began to leave, Ahiru wondering to decide to stay behind with Mytho and Rue or go with Fakir… in the end, she choose Fakir and ran after him. Mytho turned toward them, "I'm sorry if Fakir hasn't been the kindest of a gentlemen." With that, he turned and left with Rue waving good-bye before following on after him. They all seemed to leave a certain air of elegance behind them… the kind of gracefulness that dancers often held in their bodies.

* * *

Author's Note:

Here you guys are! I finally updated. Belated Merry Christmas and New Years! Hmm...

This chapter was HARD to write... so I felt that this chapter was imperfect and even now, I feel it's imperfect. But fans are fans, and you want to read. As a fellow reader, I kind of understand you want everything at once, but I think if I rush, I'd only make the story crappy, like I did with my failed DNAngel fanfic.

All right, there were so many characters I had to consider, that my brain may or may not have left someone out or may have not let them talk at all. There was just so many that I think this chapter may have been just a bunch of mumble jumble, nothing serious… except near the end. The beginning was chaos… well, the middle mostly.

I think I may have OOC'ed some of them… But I tried my best to keep them in all in character! DX And if they are out of character, please tell me!

And the story is going to pick up soon… in Akt 4 since Akt 3 is for those of you who love the couplings I have said in the beginning.

And again, no one beta read this for me so I hope it was all proper English grammar… most of it at least…

EDITED NOTE: AGAIN, I'M VERY SORRY FOR THE REPEATED EMAILS. I never really did notice that "replace" thingie... so in return, I'm writing a oneshot of Amutoness as a really late Christmas present. I don't know why it's so late... it just... inspired me awhile back. _

Disclaimer:

Princess Tutu and Shugo Chara and all related characters and elements are the property, copyright and trademark of HAL– GANSIS/TUTU and Ikukoh Itoh and Peach Pit and no ownership or claim on said property, copyright or trademark is made or implied by their use in the work(s) of fan fiction presented here. This fan fiction constitutes a personal comment on the aforesaid properties pursuant to doctrines of fair use and fair comment. This fan fiction is non-commercial, not for sale or profit, and may not be sold or reproduced for commercial purposes.


	3. A Moment Together

Author's note and disclaimer at the end.

Summary: Amu and Ikuto talk about the importance of waiting, Fakir talks to Ahiru about the burden that she sometimes feels, and Mytho soothes Rue's worries on her true-self. What's going to happen next…?

Akt 3. A Moment Together

_Once upon a time, there was once a girl who never told anyone her true feelings and because of that, many, many kinds of misunderstandings began to form. Unable to express herself properly, she wished that she would become a better person to be able to._

_And her wish was granted… in the form of three eggs, each one colored differently. A pink one with hearts, a blue one with spades, and a green one with clovers._

_But… what does this have to do with our heroes?

* * *

_

"Today was the strangest day, _ever_!" Amu exclaimed with exhaustion as she fell onto her bed. She pulled a pillow close to her and hugged it, curling up around it as she let her thoughts wander. She watched with uncertain golden orbs as Ran, Miki, and Suu were playing as they usually did; in the center of the room where the small table sat. She sighed, and rolled onto her back, staring up at the ceiling.

She recounted how the four of them left, noting the certain air of grace that they held about themselves that was different from how she noticed everyone else carried. Amu knew that Mytho was a prince, just like Tadase, but he was a _real_ prince, not just some title that everyone had seemed to have placed on him. He naturally walked around with an air of sophistication, royalty, and… certainty. Then there was Rue, who was poised and very beautiful. Her wine-colored eyes and black hair complimented her skin and figure that Amu found herself almost envying. When Mytho and Rue stood together, she had noticed and wondered if they often danced together…

Ugh… dancing…

Amu suddenly remembered the event that was coming up soon. But it was a very large event and she had to be there, for a lot of people were in attendance… and with so many people attending, it would attract those who would want their X eggs. But lately, she hasn't seen any of those eggs in awhile so she wondered mildly if it was all right to skip this event…

_NO! She mustn't!_ she scolded herself. She sighed again as she continued to think about the foreigners. Ikuto knew who they were… and why they were here and for what reason while the Guardians were still left in the dark. She felt frustrated that she didn't know anything and sat up to walk out to the balcony that connected to her bedroom. She rested her arms on the hand railing, followed by her head as she gazed at the sky.

The dream she had earlier today, rested completely forgotten…

"Should you really be out here so late at night?"

Amu started, glancing around for the source of the voice she had recognized for so long now. "Ikuto!"

He dropped down onto her balcony.

"Yo," he greeted, leaning against the hand railing, observing her with a lazy glance. He smiled in a way that was like a cat as he waited for Amu's questioning upon his earlier behavior.

But none came; only relief appeared on her face. For a moment, a questioning expression appeared on his face before it settled back onto his "I could care less" expression.

"What's with that?" he asked.

"I'm just glad you haven't disappeared or is going it alone, as I hope you aren't," she replied, looking up at the taller male. "You aren't… right?"

"I wouldn't want to make you worry needlessly, Amu," Ikuto replied softly. He smiled gently.

"Then what are you doing? You haven't been coming around very much anymore," she said quietly, looking down at her feet to avoid looking at him. "Mama has been wondering where you are and how you've been."

Only until recently, Ikuto had been coming over for visits. The first time was for a proper apology and thanks for being so accepting of him when he was caught. Ami, Amu's little sister, loved the older male. And then he had come back a second time to pick up Amu for a dance of some sort and it grew into frequent visits upon coming over. Amu's father, at first, had been crying and in a state of shock that an older boy had been coming over, but eventually, he accepted Ikuto because he felt like he could trust him.

Trouble seemed to flicker across his face briefly before he replied slowly, "I really don't know how I can tell you right now…" His fingers stroked her cheek tenderly, his eyes growing soft as he gazed at her.

The familiar blossoming of a blush spread across her face, but she did not pull away. She was used to this by now; after all, this was Ikuto. He stepped closer to her, so close, that she could feel the heat from his body warm her body further. Ikuto couldn't help but smile at her determined face of trying not to pull away. Something about his smile seemed sad to Amu, and she couldn't figure out why. It felt so familiar that she recoiled from his touch.

"You have that same look," she whispered. She grasped at her chest, feeling the familiar pain she had back at that time. She could almost hear her heart almost crying out.

He touched her face again with his fingers, his fingers chilled as he tilted her chin up to face him. He was close to her again. "I promised that I wouldn't pull you into this problem now; not this early. And I had also promised that I wouldn't…" He seemed to say something in his eyes and Amu read it. He wanted to do something, to…

"I-Ikuto…" she tried to hold in the tears that suddenly threatened to break free. Why? She wasn't sad. But she knew why: it was because she felt like he didn't trust her enough to tell her of what was going on.

He suddenly pulled her close, her face buried into his chest. "I promised that I would protect you, remember? So not now… not now…" He pulled away, smirking in a way that she knew he was going to do something push her away again. "And besides, I'm sure you aren't strong enough to handle anything right now."

Before she could muster up a retort, he decided to drop off her balcony then, to leave. She was left hanging for a moment but sighed as she rested her head on the railing on her arms.

"Idiot," she muttered with a smile as she watched him walk down the street.

* * *

Mytho, Rue, Fakir, and Ahiru had headed into the calm side of town. Nagihiko had suggested that they stay at his place, seeing as his home is big enough for the four of them. Mytho really didn't want to impose but Rue convinced him that there was nowhere else to stay at and they had no money; not, at least, in this time period.

They greeted Nagi at the front door and he led them to the two rooms that they will be using for the time that they stay here.

"Are you sure you don't mind?" Mytho asked again.

"No, we don't mind," Nagi replied, glancing back. He laughed. "You're almost just as polite as Tadase… probably on par with him."

"Well, he is a prince, after all," Ahiru said, smiling and thanking Nagi as she entered the room. Fakir watched with almost admiration as she made many kinds of facial expressions to the items in the room. He had never felt so happy to see her face again.

"Ahiru, calm down!" Rue chided as she strode into the room, helping Ahiru back up when she tripped over nothing. It seemed that some of her clumsiness still remained.

Nagi tapped Fakir on the shoulder before he entered the room and Fakir turned towards the younger boy. Mytho paused as well to look back at Fakir and came to stand with them.

"Do the four of you dance?" Nagi asked, tilting his head slightly to the side in question.

Fakir and Mytho exchanged glances for a moment before turning towards Nagi. He blinked, wondering if he shouldn't have asked. Before he could speak up again to apologize for asking, Mytho answered his question.

"Yes, we do, but I think it might be different as to how you dance." Mytho tilted his head slightly to look over Nagi. "After all, if what Amu has said about you studying in Europe, then surely you must have studied ballet."

Nagi nodded, surprised. It was kind of surprising to find that these men and women danced ballet. _Well_, he thought, _they do have the frames for it._ He looked them over again as Fakir and Mytho headed into the room to pull off their extra layers of clothes.

For a moment, Nagi observed their features, and their body structure. It seemed that they were not lying, as he watched Mytho stretch in a way that no reasonable man in this day and age should be able to. He was certainly very flexible. However, before Nagi was able to leave, Mytho called out to him, "Shall we perhaps dance together later?"

At the words "dance", Rue, Fakir, and Ahiru perked up and turned their glances his way. Nagi nodded with a smile, "Sure, I would like that." And then he left.

"Ahiru, do you remember how to dance?" Rue asked, after a short pause of silence after his departure.

She looked uncertain, almost even bewildered as she stood up. Ahiru wondered if she could even dance at all. Her body remembered, certainly, how to walk, how to run, and how to jump. But to dance? She wasn't sure and was skeptical as she put on the beginner ballet shoes. She watched as Rue laced on her pointe shoes. She glanced at Fakir, as if asking him if he was going to be dancing and he merely shrugged.

She felt a little disheartened that she wasn't going to be able to dance with him and then immediately wondered why. Why did she just feel like her heart sank that she wasn't going to be able to dance with Fakir? When she glanced back at him, she found that he had left the room.

Confused, she asked Mytho, who was stretching still, "Where did Fakir go?"

"He said he's going around for a walk; to explore a bit," he replied. He smiled as if to assure Ahiru that he wasn't going to disappear, "Don't worry, he'll be right back."

Fakir had left the room so that he could collect his thoughts. There wasn't anywhere really where he could just sit and let himself go over the events that have happened today. He hadn't told Mytho and Rue that he had often caught glimpses of Ahiru practicing her own ballet moves when she thought he wasn't looking. But on other days, he found her sitting quietly perched on the window sill looking out to the sky with a distant gaze. Often, he would feel guilty because he felt like he knew why she had that sad, distant expression: she longed to be human again. He wanted her to be human again too, but had never really expressed it to anyone. But now, here she was, human again. His fingers still remembered how her skin felt against his own and he remembered how his heart raced in his chest. Even the smell of her, he recalled, was like the smell of something spicy; tangy, and yet subtle enough that it seemed to linger. It was almost as if he himself ached to touch her again after so long of not being able to do so. He had to make sure that he would not get out of line and do something improper…

But then his mind started to remember the conversation back at the garden. He hadn't told them of his powers of writing. He considered telling them earlier, but then he realized would they believe him? They had barely believed that Ahiru had once been a duckling, so how could they believe that Fakir was a writer that can write events to reality?

----

Mytho and Rue was extremely surprised by the balance and poise that Ahiru had. It was as if those two years had not interrupted her time learning how to dance… as if she had been practicing all this time how to dance. But in case, they had gone over the basics until Ahiru had engraved it into her mind. By then, she was completely exhausted and fell to the ground complaining.

"It's so much harder than I remembered!" Ahiru whined.

"It's because you've been a duckling for two years," Rue said as she pulled out another pair of pointe shoes as she sat down. But she smiled at Ahiru to compliment, "But you're doing really well, given your circumstances and all."

Mytho nodded as he watched Rue help Ahiru to her pair of pointe shoes. When Ahiru realized what was going on, she exclaimed, "W-Why are you giving me th-?!"

"Because you were doing such a good job, that I think you're ready for these," Rue explained as she laced it. "I'm sure you remember how to dance en pointe after being Princess Tutu?"

Ahiru nodded slowly before again becoming skeptical. She looked uncertainly at the shoes but her mind wandered back to the time when she danced a pas de deux with Fakir, back at the Lake of Despair… just before she had to be returned to a duck again. She remembered the strong feelings that had emerged then… how it made her true self strong and not as Princess Tutu. She smiled, in spite of herself, as she remembered Fakir's promise to stay by her side forever…

"Ahiru!"

She snapped out of her reverie at her name, blushing in embarrassment as she noticed the scolding look on Rue's face. "Jeez, you can't keep your head out of the clouds, can you?" she sighed as she helped Ahiru up.

"Ha ha, sorry," she laughed softly before glancing down at her feet. Following the instructions of Rue, she was soon en pointe until she again, was very exhausted as she fell to the floor, completely drained. "I can't go on anymore, Rue!"

Rue sighed, "It can't be helped then, we'll continue again tomorrow or whenever there's time."

"Go easy on her," Mytho said softly, stepping to her side. "It's just as you said, she's been of different circumstances."

"Yes, my prince," she said softly, turning her head to glance at him to meet his smile. "We'll be right back, all right Ahiru?"

She nodded in reply, sulking now that she was completely devoid of any feeling in her legs, her abdomen, and her feet; all completely sore.

Fakir was walking back to the room when Mytho walked by, stopping him a moment. "Be careful, all right?"

Fakir scowled at Mytho, who continued walking to catch up to Rue. _Of course I will, I know how old she is,_ he thought. When he walked into the room, he found her admiring herself in the mirror… well, checking the differences she had now compared to before.

She had her hair braided again, but it looked strange without that tangle of hair that she used to have. He couldn't help but admire how much she had grown in a stunning way after her being so long as a small duckling. She still had that little strand above her head, but it was more subtle now. Ahiru seemed to have noticed him leaning against the door frame in the mirror because she turned around with a smile, "Fakir!"

His name on her tongue felt like chocolate; it tasted good to be able to finally say his name. She felt her heart pick up when she finally got a really good look at him. The masculinity that he had about himself was more prominent than ever, causing Ahiru to blush in embarrassment, although Fakir had no idea why her face was turning red. She glanced up to see Fakir's face, noting the gentle expression he had on his face before looking back down. Picking up the cloak that he had lent her earlier, she pulled it close to her chest as she walked over to him, looking at her hands instead of up at him. "Fakir… I…"

For a moment, Fakir wished he had been the one to change her back into a human. Again, he felt that feeling of being helpless and unable to do anything. He shoved those feelings aside to listen to Ahiru, her voice as soft as he had remembered, "Yes?"

Ahiru had been thinking for quite some time if it was possible for Fakir to not like abiding by the promise he had made to her. She had remembered the times where he had fallen into such a slump when he tried writing for her, that he had become depressed for some time before relaxing and trying again; his determination to change her back into a human flaring again to life. She didn't really want to bind him to her, but at the same time, she did. Was she being selfish in keeping Fakir at her side?

Fakir noticed the sadness in her face and he couldn't bear to see it, feeling guilty enough as it was that he had not been the one to change her into a human. Pulling her hand into his own, he pulled her into the center of the room. She had dropped the cloak in the process, and proceeded to follow Fakir's lead as he spoke, "I'm sorry."

The flick of her head told him that she was startled to hear an apology and only confirmed his suspicions when she asked, "Why? What are you apologizing for?" He could sense the confusion in her words and the distress as to that she might have done something wrong to offend him.

"For not changing you back," he said softly as he pulled her into a turn. They began dancing a pas de deux… it seemed that it was easier for them to talk while dancing to express themselves, in spite of Ahiru being exhausted as she was.

"Does it really matter if you are the one who changed me back or not?" she asked uncertainly.

"Not really, but to me, I wanted to be the one who did," he wasn't sure if what he was saying was making any sense to her.

She did not say anything for a few seconds of their dance as she felt his energy being passed into her, revitalizing her for their dance. Ahiru remembered the expressions that were sometimes on Fakir's face when he was staring off into space. "As long as I'm already here, it's all right," she whispered. "Being able to speak to you now, is more than I could ever wish for."

All those times when they had small misunderstanding due to her form, she had always wished she could talk to him, to state her opinions, and to comfort him when he was in that same shape he was back when she had lost her pendant.

Their dance had stopped and she stood before him, Ahiru clutching at her chest as she looked down. Fakir realized that she must have been hiding something… otherwise she wouldn't be acting this way. "Ahiru…?"

"Is… was it too much of it for me to want you to stay at my side forever?" she whispered almost inaudibly.

He was confused. What did she mean? "I already made a promise to you, didn't I?"

"It's… it's not too much trouble for me to stay at your side?" It clicked.

_Oh._

He knelt down so that he could look up at her face, her slim shoulders shaking as she tried to hide the tears. His fingers stroked her face to wipe away some of her tears. "I don't regret making that promise and I don't think you're being a burden to me… so don't cry for thinking that you are." It would explain a lot of how she had been acting awhile back where she often sometimes flew away or had gone away for some period of time, only to be called back with the help of Rue. His hand curled around her cheek, the pad of this thumb running over her lips. Her tears stopped when she suddenly realized how close they were. Her warm sky blue hues softened as she gazed into his gentle emerald ones.

"Fakir…"

* * *

"Mytho…?" her voice called out, soft and uncertain.

"Yes, my princess?" he replied, turning his head toward her.

"Was it all right to really leave them behind like that?" she asked, worry etched into her face as she worried over her first real friend.

"I trust Fakir… I don't think he'll do anything dishonest to Ahiru… after all, he's watched over her for over two years now, right?" Mytho reasoned, walking over to soothe the worries his wife had.

"True… but… I can't help but worry anyway," she groaned. "Ahiru hasn't been a human for very long… and Fakir is at his… you know, _prime_…"

Mytho couldn't help but twitch a smile that was on the brink of laughter. Stifling a laugh behind a hand, he cleared his throat to calm himself before he spoke, "Instead of worrying about her, weren't you worrying earlier about your true self?"

Rue's facial features went through several emotions at once before she settled on that worried air. "Oh, Rue…"

"I… You know when the Raven had me under his wing, I couldn't… I…"

"Rue," Mytho interrupted, "do you believe that Princess Kraehe is your true self? Or rather here, your would-be self?"

"I… I don't know," she said softly, looking down. "She is indeed a part of me, and I can't deny that, but what I'm worried is if she does show up here, does that mean that the Raven can't be too far off?"

"We destroyed the Raven together, remember? And Princess Kraehe had drunk raven blood so it only makes sense that you are connected to the Raven still... But that's not what I'm asking; I'm asking do you believe that Princess Kraehe is your would-be self?"

"N-no," she answered.

Mytho pulled her to him, embracing her. "Then you have nothing to worry about. If there's trouble that comes, then we'll face it then, but for now, let's relax, all right?"

"Yes, my prince," she squeezed tightly in his embrace, nuzzling her face into his chest before they began to walk again.

* * *

"Oh," sighed a melodic voice. "I think it's time for us to begin making our move… right, Drosselmeyer?"

* * *

Author's Note:  
All right, the trouble is going to begin in the next chapter. And I think I might have gone out of character in a few places in this chapter. If I did, please tell me! D: So this chapter is basically going to be about them… well, as the chapter says they are going to be doing. Sorry if it feels like they're doing the same actions or whatever… v.v;; But I wanted to give you guys some… lovey-dovey stuff, you know? **Now, please remember to review!** I want to know that I should still continue to write! :3

Disclaimer:  
Princess Tutu and Shugo Chara and all related characters and elements are the property, copyright and trademark of HAL– GANSIS/TUTU and Ikukoh Itoh and Peach Pit and no ownership or claim on said property, copyright or trademark is made or implied by their use in the work(s) of fan fiction presented here. This fan fiction constitutes a personal comment on the aforesaid properties pursuant to doctrines of fair use and fair comment. This fan fiction is non-commercial, not for sale or profit, and may not be sold or reproduced for commercial purposes.


	4. Trouble

**Summary:**  
After meeting Mytho's Shugo Chara, Amu and Ikuto go with the PT crew for a little bit of shopping for the dance later. Afterward, they encounter trouble… but… what is this new trouble that our gang is facing? R&R.

**Author's Note:**  
In case you didn't read my profile or whatever, from now on, I'm going to be posting the updates to this story on the 16th of every month, give or take a few days. (The 16th will be the day I WILL post on, but should I finish the chapter early, it might be a few days early or late, depending. The day is just for you to remember that it's coming out soon.) Because this story has so many characters involved, writing this and making sure that it's as the best as I can write it is important to me. The story might get a little confusing from here on out, seeing as Ikuto will slowly be revealing the true nature of might of the new enemy. You remember last chapter's spoken words right, at the very end? Keep that person who spoke up in mind, as she is to make an appearance soon. Not in this chapter mind you, but soon. I have a rough idea of where this story is going seeing as the complexity of each character and the development of characters are important too, and thus an added factor for how each of these chapters take so long.

Again, no one beta read this for me so any errors you find, send me a PM or review. I appreciate the feedback of critiques. And again, should any of the characters seem a bit out of character or is, please do tell me! Each chapter of this story seems to get easier to write, but mixing PT and SC is a lot more difficult than I had expected; therefore, the characters might get or become out of character. I apologize ahead of time.

And sorry for the long wait, so here's the next chapter! Enjoy!

**Disclaimer:**  
Princess Tutu and Shugo Chara and all related characters and elements are the property, copyright and trademark of HAL– GANSIS/TUTU and Ikukoh Itoh and Peach Pit and no ownership or claim on said property, copyright or trademark is made or implied by their use in the work(s) of fan fiction presented here. This fan fiction constitutes a personal comment on the aforesaid properties pursuant to doctrines of fair use and fair comment. This fan fiction is non-commercial, not for sale or profit, and may not be sold or reproduced for commercial purposes.

* * *

Akt 4. Trouble

_Once upon a time, strangers wandered into a strange town, not knowing where they were. When they decided to rest at an inn for the night, in the morning, each of them found an egg, wonderfully colored. Not knowing what they were, they carried the egg with them, being extra careful._

_What they did not expect, however, was for the eggs to hatch. And from each, came forth a little guardian…_

_Now, are our heroes going to find their own little guardians?

* * *

_

Upon the next several days, Fakir had decided to enroll in the same college that Ikuto was currently attending: a special arts school that majored in music and dance. Fakir was able to get in with no problem with his dancing, as he did not want to attend a school that needed a lot of writing done.

Mytho, Rue, and Ahiru had decided to join Amu and the others at their high school, telling them that they had transferred from Germany. It was strange, that they were able to pass the exams with no difficulty whatsoever.

"I wonder how we're able to read and write their language…" Rue contemplated.

"Perhaps Fakir wrote something about it for us," Mytho reflected but paused. "Then again, when he tried writing for me, he wasn't able to."

"Maybe it was through me…" Ahiru wondered. "The answers came to me so well and I… I understood everything."

"Perhaps that through you, that we're able to understand everything here," Rue agreed. "It's not impossible after all."

Mytho nodded.

They were in a local park, waiting to meet up with Fakir. He had been taking some vigorous training at the school to catch up on his dancing. Often times, Ahiru found herself jealous that she wasn't able to be with Fakir, to watch him dance.

"I'm curious though, when we'll be able to meet our Shugo Charas," Rue said, wondering what her Shugo Chara looks like.

"My…" Mytho was interrupted by a small little voice.

"It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance," a little prince flew out from behind Mytho, bowing politely to the two ladies. Rue and Ahiru blinked.

"SO CUTE!!!" they exclaimed, almost jumped forth to grab him at once. However, the little Shugo Chara flew out of the way and hid behind Mytho.

"I told you that it was a bad idea," Mytho said to the little prince as he stood on Mytho's shoulder.

Ahiru and Rue rubbed on where they bumped heads in attempt to capture the almost-exact-copy of Mytho. Except, their clothes differ tremendously: Mytho was currently wearing a white t-shirt with a black vest with a hoodie. He wore jeans that were faded blue with shoes he borrowed from Nagihiko. However, the little prince wore the same exact clothes that Mytho as a Prince wore… just less detailed as he was smaller.

"What's your name?" Ahiru asked the Shugo Chara.

"Kazuhiko, but you can just call me Kazu," the little prince said politely, coming out slightly from hiding.

"Mytho, he looks just like you!" Rue commented, looking at Kazu. "Only, his hair is more snowy white and his eyes are golden, unlike your brown-gold ones."

Mytho shrugged. "I'm not sure, but I guess it's because here, I'm just regular Mytho; not anyone else."

"Oh, now I'm so excited to see what my Shugo Chara looks like," Ahiru said excitedly. "Or even what Fakir's looks like!"

At that, Rue stifled a giggle.

"Oh, hi everyone," greeted a voice.

Rue and Ahiru turned around just as Mytho looked up. Amu stood there wearing her high school uniform with Ran, Miki, and Suu looking around. Ahiru had to note that they were similar to one another in an almost an uncanny way that seemed to put them

"I hadn't expected to see you guys here," she confessed, looking around for Fakir. "Eh, he isn't here."

"He's at college at the moment," Ahiru explained. "We're here waiting for him to get off."

Before Amu could say anything, Ran exclaimed, "Shugo Chara!"

Amu glanced at where Ran shouted out. And there, to her astonishment, is a little prince. "Aw, he's so cute!" Amu gushed. Ran poked him while Miki looked curiously at him.

"He looks almost just like Kiseki, except his cape isn't as extravagant," Miki noted. "But he looks just like Mytho."

"Pleasure to meet you," Kazu said as he bowed in greeting. "I'm Prince Kazuhiko."

"He's much nicer than Kiseki…" Suu commented as she floated on over.

"Where's yours?" Amu asked Rue and Ahiru. The two of them shrugged.

"They haven't showed up yet."

"Ah, I'm sure they will eventually, after all, everyone had said that your Shugo Charas had already hatched from their eggs," Amu remembered. "So they must be waiting for the right time for them to show up. How did little Kazuhiko show up?"

"Hmm… I think it was around last night when everyone else was asleep." Mytho paused a moment to think a bit more. "Fakir had woken up a bit later, discovering him, and I couldn't hide Kazu from Fakir… and it just sort of took off from there."

"Aw, I really want to meet my Shugo Chara now!" Ahiru huffed, crossing her arms across her chest.

Rue giggled, "Don't worry; I'm sure you'll meet your Shugo Chara soon, just not now is all."

"Oh, that reminds me, there's a festival later tonight and I was hoping you would be able to come," Amu said. The Shugo Charas seemed to have wandered a bit of ways, talking to their new friend, Prince Kazuhiko.

The three looked at each other for a moment before nodding. "Sure, it doesn't sound like a bad idea," Ahiru said.

"But the main event of the festival is dancing so I'm sure you will be able to have fun, right?"

"Hmm… I don't think what we dance is what you would find dancing in this age of this generation," Mytho pointed out. "We really only know how to dance ballet, although Fakir is probably learning more than just ballet at the college though."

"You're right," Amu realized.

"So, here you all are," a deep voice intervened into the conversation, and a darkly dressed male appeared. Ikuto surprisingly appeared behind Fakir.

"Ah, Amu, were you waiting for me?" Ikuto smirked, his eyes half-lidded.

"I-I wasn't wa-waiting for you!" Amu stuttered. "I was on my way home when I met up with Mytho, Rue, and Ahiru."

"Sure you were."

"But why are you here? And why are you with Fakir?" Amu asked, snapping out of her embarrassment.

"Ah, Amu is being nosy now?" he smirked again.

"Oi, you two, knock it off," Fakir snapped, silencing Amu who was about to retort. Ikuto only looked at her smugly before returning his attention to Fakir.

"We're going shopping," Fakir stated simply.

A moment of silence rippled through them before Ahiru managed to speak up, "What?"

"Amu is coming too," Fakir explained. "We need clothes for this time period as well as some more 'fancier' ones for the more extravagant events that we might need to attend. I'm sure by now, you've heard from Amu about the dance festival tonight?"

"We have, but we're _all_ going?" Rue asked. "Wouldn't it be better for the girls and guys to separate? If the clothes here are similar to where we're from, then the men should know by now that women are notorious shoppers. I doubt that has changed at all."

Ikuto, Fakir, and Mytho exchanged glances and the girls almost noticed the shudder that seemed to ripple through them.

"Well, we're kind of curious as to what dresses you'll pick," Ikuto smirked. Instantly, the girls flushed as the men seemed to enjoy their moment of embarrassment.

"What? We aren't allowed to tag along?" Fakir asked. "After all, I've stumbled across some money that I won from a contest, which is why I suggested shopping."

"Eh… it's… well… it'll be embarrassing," Ahiru said, self-conscious as she stared at the ground, away from Fakir's gaze.

"Don't worry, we won't say… much," Ikuto said as his eyes glinted mischief.

* * *

"Oh, come on!" Rue exclaimed, aggravated.

"Is something the matter, Rue?" Mytho called into the dressing room.

"Ah, nothing!"

The girls were in one dressing room, one of the bigger ones so they would be able to be able to take a look at each other and help the other if the clothes needed it.

"Aw, and it looked so good, too," Amu sighed.

The black sparkling dress that Rue wore was slightly too small, and sadly, her chest looked like it might burst the top of the gown. Taking off the gown, Rue replaced it back on the hanger and hooked the hanger onto the put back hook. She stood only clad in her undergarments, her feet bare since she took off her socks.

"How does this look?" Ahiru asked, twirling in a dark red dress that stopped short just above her knees. The bottom edges of the dress were tinged in black with little white sparkles here and there. The dress was perfect for dancing as it spun beautifully outward. There were thin silk straps of red on her slender shoulder with a v-neck that opened down into the middle of her chest. "It fits."

"It's beautiful, but don't you think that's rather simple?" Rue said as she began to try on another dress.

"But it's pretty and it fits Ahiru well!" Amu conflicted.

Rue shrugged. "I think it's beautiful in its simplicity," she smiled. "Get the dress and show off your legs!" At that, the girls smothered a laugh. Then the girls progressed into deciding what fit and what did not…

Meanwhile, the males were waiting for the girls to come out of the changing room so that they may move on. They began to talk about five minutes into their silence.

"How did you know where we came from?" Mytho decided to ask, while the girls were not around, even if they would probably hear what was going to be said later.

Ikuto looked over toward Mytho, his form leaning against the wall with a black dress shirt and skinny black jeans with black sneakers. His dress shirt had blue tribal style designs embedded into the shirt, the design made by stitches. He stuck his hands into his pockets as he thought over if he should tell them or not.

"Would it be smart to talk about it now?" he asked, his sapphire eyes glancing between the other two males.

Mytho paused a moment to consider before answering slowly, "I only want to know certain answers right now, but I trust that you will explain the situation to us in due time, correct?"

"Of course," Ikuto nodded. "Hmm… in regards to how I know, like I said, you were sort of summoned. I know of Drosselmeyer; therefore, I know your stories."

"Then you know of the problems that Drosselmeyer can bring?" Fakir asked. "Aside from him, I don't understand how we're able to understand each other in the first place."

"Ah, that would probably because of the-"

That was when the males heard Ahiru exclaim with the girls cheering. A few seconds later, they came out carrying dresses, hidden from the men's view. Mildly, they wondered what gowns they had picked out for the dance festival later today and what they would look like. After all, this festival tonight was more like a fancy party than an actual festival. Amu had found out and told them that it was actually a fancy party that required formal clothes. However, the males, could wear semi-formal clothes to the extravagant party. Amu guessed that the word "festival" was a misleading word to call the party.

"Done?" Fakir asked as he raised an eyebrow as each of the males watched the girls place on the "put back" rack several kinds of dresses.

"Amu, I didn't know you were so picky," Ikuto smirked when he caught sight of how many dresses she put on the rack.

Surprisingly, she didn't take the bite. "I have to, especially if it's such a special event, you know?"

With their shopping for clothes during this period were sufficient enough, they decided it was time to go eat. After they finished their meals, the group decided to meet up a Nagi's when everyone was ready for the event. During this time, Prince Kazuhiko, Ran, Miki, and Suu seemed to have vanished.

"Gosh, they couldn't even tell us that they had decided to leave?" Amu sighed as they walked.

"I'm sure Kiseki called them to a meeting, if what I heard from Kazu is correct," Mytho speculated.

"Kazu?" two small voices squeaked. Everyone froze for a moment, but before they could find out where that came from, a young woman walked around the corner and looked toward them.

"Hey, um… do you guys mind if you give me some help on directions?" she said, her dark brown waves bouncing slightly with each movement as it curved down her back. She had dark, ominous brown eyes and a complexion that seemed a tad sickly. She had a willowy frame, tall and thin. She had elegant fingers and an eerie smile.

"Sure…" Amu said uncertainly. She didn't like the feeling that this woman gave off despite her being actually really pretty, in spite of her almost sickly skin. "Where do you need to go?"

She began to help the stranger while Ikuto only became passive and stoic. His eyes narrowed slightly as he watched, his half-lidded eyes almost glaring at the woman. Fakir and Mytho noticed and Fakir muttered, "What's wrong?"

Ikuto said nothing. Warily, he continued to watch until the woman then asked Amu a question. "Are you all going to attend the festival tonight?"

Smoothly, Ikuto interceded and took Amu's hand into his own as he pulled her protectively behind him. "It's possible, but we may have other plans," he said politely. But his eyes did not show the politeness that was in his voice. "After all, we're only teenagers and we're all so youthful."

Amu felt safe behind Ikuto for some reason, away from the woman before them. Amu almost flinched when the woman's aura changed instantaneously. It was almost… _evil._ At the change of atmosphere, Fakir and Mytho then pulled Ahiru and Rue behind them, away from the wandering eyes of the woman whose eyes seemed to have changed. Something was beginning to feel strangely off.

"I-Ikuto…" She squeezed his hand for reassurance, suddenly realizing that this must be the warning that he was talking about.

"Ah, the knights all want to protect their little princesses," the woman said huskily, her voice beginning to change. Her features became almost grotesque as the group backed up slowly. Amu felt her lock warm on her collar bone and reflexively, she reached up and grabbed it, feeling the heat from the lock. Ikuto's key began to warm up as well as it dangled down from his wrist, strung around his wrist several times. "And it's a pleasure in seeing you again, black cat."

Ikuto only narrowed his eyes and Amu glanced up at him. He had met this woman before?

"Is this the trouble that has summoned us here?" Mytho murmured. The situation was getting deadlier by the minute as the woman's aura continuously grew darker and darker.

"Mytho," Rue breathed, her eyes widening as she squeezed the back of Mytho's shirt. "I sense the Raven."

Mytho's eyes narrowed and then he tried to summon his sword, but discovered that it would not come. He realized then, that since they were no longer in Kinkan Town, that meant all of their powers and abilities were no longer usable.

"Mytho!" a voice shouted as his Shugo Chara flew over. Kazu glanced at the now menacing woman as her arms changed into scythes, her body growing serpentine like, her clothes melding to the scales.

Ahiru's eyes widened as the sky darkened and held onto Fakir's back.

"Fools, I shall enjoy my meal out of you!" the woman-serpent shouted, thrusting her hand towards them and shot out energy of a dark orb, aimed directly at them. Forcibly, they stood their ground as the air around them swirled, suffocating them in evil energy. Amu felt her lock burn and at the feeling, she winced.

Immediately, Ikuto took his key as it fell from its chain and surprised the others as he transformed the Key into a sword with a heart-leaf clover as his guard. The blade glimmered just like the way the lock and key did whenever they were close in contact with one another. However, with the transformation of his key, his clothes changed as well. A cloak materialized along his form, streaming down to his feet of midnight blue. He wore a vest embroidered in gold with the design of a dragon. Along his right arm, a tattoo was etched into place with a ribbon tied on the other. Along his forearms, however, were wrist guards that looked liked bandages. He had a dark brown belt that hung on his hip with black boots with several buckles. On top of his head, were his signature cat ears.

Before Amu could goggle at Ikuto's new form, she heard Ran's voice and instantly, she transformed as she uttered, "Atashi no kokoro… unlock!" Bright light swirled around her and she became a pink cheerleader. "Chara-nari Amulet Heart!"

"Strange, how am I still able to transform?" Amu managed to say as she and Ikuto pulled the others out of the swirl.

"Don't think about that now, think about that woman!" Ikuto exclaimed as she shot another energy ball in their direction.

"Fools! You already know that your attacks in that form don't work!" she sneered.

Amu's lock glowed once again, this time, with white light. Without knowing what Fakir and Mytho were doing…

"Boku no kokoro…" Fakir and Mytho said.

"Unlock!" they said in unison.

Fakir changed into a black cloak and a thin chain mail that covered his torso while his legs were in thin pads that still allowed him enough movement to move swiftly. A sheathed blade sat at his hips on a belt with tall black boots. With a _swoosh_ of his cloak, he said with another sound of a voice:

"Chara-nari Knight Writer."

Mytho went next as he was then covered in white feathers, before they fell away, revealing him in princely clothing with a long, white cloak that could be the Prince's cape. It was the same one he wore when they fought the Raven. With a swish of his swan blade, he shouted with Kazu:

"Chara-nari Prince Siegfried!"

Ahiru and Rue were frightened and yet in awe of the new forms that Mytho and Fakir have taken. The problem was that they were left behind, unsure and of no way to protect themselves.

"Move!" Fakir shouted as the woman summoned forth another person in the form of a ferocious dog-wolf like creature and then she herself, disappeared. The wolf snapped its jaws where Ahiru had been moments before, with Fakir holding her in his arms to prevent her from that happening. "Had you been any slower, you would have been eaten."

"What am I supposed to do?" Rue groaned. Again, she's feeling that same sense of uselessness that she had felt before. "What can-"

"Save your conversations for later!" Mytho interrupted. The wolf-creature shot out a ray of a black beam at Rue, but Mytho stepped in front with his sword and reflected it. "Ikuto, what are we supposed to do?"

"I think it's fairly obvious what we have to do," Fakir muttered. "Defeat that thing, right?"

"Something like that," Ikuto confirmed as he moved forward and used his sword the swipe at the wolf-creature. The creature jumped backward and fired shot after shot of a black ball of darkness. He evaded each shot and slashed again, causing the wolf-creature to jump backward, front paws first. As the dog-wolf did so, Ikuto brought the sword across the dog-wolf's chest. Out came several X eggs, all saying, "Useless, useless, it's useless…"

"Amu, purify!" Ikuto ordered.

"R-Right!" Getting ready into position, she shouted as she faced the X eggs, "Negative Heart: Lock on!" The X eggs became targeted… "Open Heart!"

The X eggs became purified and became white eggs again and floated off. But the wolf-creature remained. Without the X eggs inside it, it still was very large. It was taller than Ikuto on all fours, but on just its hind legs, it's even taller. When it growled that it had been deprived of the negative powers that came from its chest, it opened its mouth again, and what came out wasn't a growl or even a howl; it was a mix of a howl and a groan.

"This… is the part where you guys come in." Ikuto glanced at them a moment. Mytho nodded as did Fakir and then they lunged forward. Fakir went to withdraw his sword and pulled out what appeared to be a rapier with the guard shaped elegantly in a sort of style that was similar to that of a quill. He froze halfway through his tracks as he realized, he couldn't cut _anything_ with the thin blade. It was sharp, certainly, but it was not sharp enough to create a large gash in the side of the wolf-creature like it did as Mytho slashed at it. He began to remember the familiar feelings of being a useless knight…

"Fakir!"

Fakir looked up from his thoughts just as the wolf-creature ran at him, swerving around Mytho. Before he realized what he was doing, he moved out of the lunging being and positioned himself right before the creature and began to write on the creature, his rapier-quill transforming into a sword and sliced right through its forepaws. It groaned and fell over.

Ahiru watched and suddenly felt certain of what she ought to do, and suddenly, on her neck appeared a pendant in the shape of a heart with little wings stretching from the sides. She transformed into a girl with a white tutu with pink frills on the edges, a bare back and her hair pulled up into a bundle of white feathers with silver beaded bracelets on her wrists. Around her waist were ribbons of baby blue that streamed with the wind.

"Will you dance with me?"

She used the same gestures she had before as Princess Tutu and somehow, the large creature managed to dance despite the fact that it was injured. It danced with such precision, it was almost beautiful.

"I've always want to be more aggressive, to be more assertive and outgoing, but I come on too strongly that I scare off people…"

Amu and Ikuto were startled to hear a voice and realized that it came from the creature.

"Don't worry," Ahiru said softly as she continued, her pendant steadily glowing more and more. "As long as you take things at your own pace and know your own flaws, and continue to understand yourself, then you should be able to become the person you really want to be."

She danced away gently, placing a hand on her pendant and a copy of the pendant appeared in Ahiru's hand. The wings reflected the colors of the wolf-creature's fur. Steadily, the heart then changed into a warm pink and she bowed forward slightly as the pendant was pressed onto the gash. She danced away and the wolf-creature then drowned in white light. A heart was formed then and it wrapped around the wolf-creature, forming a human as he slumped forward. He wore the area's high school uniform and appeared to be late teens. Ikuto moved forward to catch the man and sit him upright as he leaned him against the wall.

The glowing stopped and the area became like a normal street again. As they realized the battle was over, their Shugo Charas pulled out of the transformations while Ikuto's form simply just changed back.

Ahiru looked confused. How on earth did she transform? Where had this pendant come from? Who gave it to her? Where did she suddenly gain this strange new power?

"Ikuto, it seems that you have a lot of questions to answer." Fakir turned toward Ikuto, his face pulled into a scowl.

A small voice nearby spoke up, "It's a pleasure to finally to be able to meet you, Fakir."

The group turned towards the voice that had suddenly spoke up, and they found themselves looking at a Shugo Chara dressed in a sort of knightly garb, protective, but instead of a broad sword or something like a "sword", it was instead a quill. The Shugo Chara had messy dark black-green hair with shining emerald eyes. He had the same skin tone as Fakir himself as well as the same "build", so to speak were it not for the fact that Shugo Charas are much smaller than their human partner.

Fakir blinked, surprised that he was almost looking in himself to a person who was what he truly wanted to be.

"And for me to finally meet you is a bit…" Fakir noted that the Shugo Chara was a lot more different from what he was in person. "Different. It's a lot different than how I had hoped for us to meet."

The Shugo Chara shrugged and said, "My name is Kaku, and I'm Fakir's true self."

"What is his true self exactly?" Rue asked. She couldn't tell from the appearance that Kaku took the form of.

Kaku only smiled before replying, "Easy, can't you figure it out?"

"I feel like this is a trick question," Amu commented.

"It is," Ikuto smirked. "And you can't even tell, _Amu_."

"S-Shut up!"

Mytho coughed, interrupting their little banter before speaking up, "It looks like Fakir's true self is that he wants to be able to protect everyone with the power of his writing?"

"What do you mean 'his writing'?" Amu asked, raising an eyebrow. This piece of information was new and she didn't remember hearing about it before in the Gardens before with the other Guardians.

For a moment, everyone except Amu and Ikuto exchanged glances, as if asking each other one big question:

Should they reveal Fakir's gift?

"I don't think this is the time for us to tell you, Amu," Mytho said, speaking out for the four of them. Fakir had decided to keep quiet about his own powers for now, seeing as now isn't the time to really tell her about them as it wasn't really necessary. "This is Fakir's decision as to whether he's going to tell you or not."

"What's so-" she began.

"Amu, it'd be more of a burden than were we to tell you about it now," Ahiru said softly. She was watching Fakir and how he was going to react. So far, however, was disappointing. He hadn't shown a bit of emotion other than the scowl on his face. She felt worried now, however, about how his writing in this world. Does it work here? If so, how much does it work here? Is it more powerful here or is it even weaker?

Amu said nothing and only crossed her arms across her chest. Silence enveloped the group; stifling as the group had no idea what to say. Ikuto decided to break the silence.

"It's time to go home and rest for now before we all meet up later for the 'festival'." He took Amu by the hand and began to lead her away as he said good-bye to the four (six if you're including Shugo Charas).

When Amu and Ikuto were alone, Ran and the others decided to come out.

"Amu-chan… are you all right?" Suu asked softly, her gentle emeralds worried.

"I'm fine…" Amu replied. She glanced up and smiled gratefully at Ran, "I don't know how I was able to do it, but I managed to Chara-change and even transform with you guys again. It's been awhile and I've been trying to figure out why lately we've been so… disconnected."

"Perhaps it has to do with that new enemy that Ikuto has mentioned?" Miki contemplated. "It's possible after all for such a thing to happen."

"It is."

Amu, Ran, Miki, and Suu looked over at Ikuto. He was looking forward, but his eyes seemed to say that he was in some far off thought.

"The new evil is the reason why we haven't been able to 'connect'?" Amu asked.

"Yes… again, this is all to be explained in due time… and I would rather we discuss this with Utau and everyone else," Ikuto said slowly. "This concerns everyone… and we're probably in need of help of those four that has been summoned."

Something told Amu that this was something very serious… that it's much more worse than that time with Easter.

"All I can to you right now, since you don't know those four's backgrounds, is that it involves a world of never-ending sorrow and tragedy and broken dreams."


End file.
